Located to the east of the Palace of Heavenly Purity, it initially served as Emperor Kangxi's residence. During Emperor Qianlong's reign, it was transformed into a repository for the emperor's personal books and documents. In the 17th year of the Chongzhen era (1644) of the Ming Dynasty, as Li Zicheng's forces captured Beijing, Emperor Chongzhen, before taking his own life, killed Princess Zhaoren in this hall.
 

During the Qing Dynasty, Zhaoren Hall became a place for the Emperor to read books.In the ninth year of the Qianlong reign (1744), Emperor Qianlong ordered that the best copy be selected from the book collections for display and stored in the inner chamber of Zhaoren Hall. He also personally inscribed the phrase "Heavenly Blessings, Magnificent Treasures" (天禄琳琅).